Africawatch Diabolics On Ghana’s Education Sector Uncovered

Jan 25, 2018 | thenewsplatformonline.com/ Samuel Appah-Peniel

Thenewsplatformonline.com has uncovered a diabolic move by the US-based Africawatch magazine owned by Steve Mallory against the Free Senior High School programme being implemented by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo led government.

Thenewsplatformonline.com uncovered that in a yet to be released 44 page special report by US-based Africawatch magazine edited by Steve Mallory on 8th February, 2018 is aimed at attacking President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo for the implementation of Free Senior High School policy as well as the country’s educational system under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

The yet to be released 8th February, 2018 publication of Africawatch Magazine captures an article headlined ‘ Is FCUBE an Achievement’ just to discredit the importance of the free SHS which has been hailed by stakeholders.

Mr Steve Mallory, owner of Africawatch magazine was one time a bossom friend of President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo but after falling out with him want to scatter the successes chalked by the NPP’s government flagship programme in education especially that Ghanaians have embraced the free SHS policy and interventions rolled out in the Ghana’s education sector.

As a result of this, Mr Steve Mallory, owner of Africawatch magazine who has a bad relationship with President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo is bent on making the government unpopular by publishing another article titled ‘Poor education in Ghana’ just to paint a bad picture about Ghana’s education sector at a time all and sundry are happy with the government.

For almost 20 years now, successive governments have failed to fully implement the FCUBE as promised. It would be in the interest of our national development if the FCUBE would be fully implemented for the benefit of all Ghanaians by 2017 as promised by President Nana Addo during the electioneering period.

For the President to succeed with his promise on the FCUBE, he has put the right and competent people in the helm of affairs within the education sector to begin with.

As government focuses on ensuring successful FCUBE programme, thenewsplatformonline.com investigations revealed that government is revamping the resources at the kindergarten and primary schools at the basic level to establish quality foundation for the country’s education system.

It was noted that adequate learning and teaching materials have been provided in the classroom at that level to ensure effective learning and teaching process.

African Union Commends Free SHS ImplementationThe African Union Commission has commended the Government of Ghana for implementing the Free Senior High School policy, indicating that it is a sure way of ensuring the growth of the country and Africa as a whole.

Ambassador Thomas Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission, who gave the commendation while speaking at an UNCTAD-organised High Level Panel Discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, said the beginning of Free SHS in Ghana would give greater impetus to the AU’s agenda of having every African child in school by the end of the decade.

UNCTAD is the United Nations body responsible for development issues, particularly international trade as the main driver of development.

“Africa has the largest number of young people, and this commission has at its theme Education, Education, Education. It is in that spirit that I would like to commend the government of Ghana, at the risk of sounding unduly nationalist, that the SHS programme, the free compulsory secondary school programme that they have introduced, is really an idea whose time has come, and Ghana is to be commended for it,” Ambassador Quartey declared.

The ambition of the African Union, Amb. Quartey said, is to have every African child in school by the year 2020.

“We would like to have a literate and a numerate Africa. We want an Africa where illiteracy is a thing of the past. With a literate and numerate Africa, the continent would be ready now to imbibe technology, apply science and technology, and find solutions.”

Any effort in this direction is therefore highly commendable, Amb Quartey indicated, and the introduction of Free SHS in Ghana is a very welcome development.

TEWU hails Free SHSThe leadership of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has lauded the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Programme and reaffirmed its unflinching commitment to make the programme successful.

The Union also called on members and all stakeholders in the education sector to act positively towards the sustainability of the programme for the benefit of all prospective SHS students.

Mr Matthew Abeaba Abereyiya, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Industrial Relations Officer of TEWU, who made the call said the bold decision taken by government in the implementation of the free SHS programme was unprecedented and highly commendable.

He was addressing the opening session of the maiden Annual General Meeting of the Brong-Ahafo Regional chapter of the National Association of Educational Administrators and Secretarial Staff (NAEASS) in Sunyani.

GNAT hails free SHSThe Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has praised government for the introduction of the free Senior High School programme, saying it has brought financial relief to parents.

GNAT President Philip Larsen said that all over world, economies have developed with education as their backbone.

However, despite commendations that President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has received for the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme, he is going to be discussed and attacked in the 44 special page report by the Africawatch Magazine as they did in their August 2016 edition headlined: “NPP’s Campaign In Jeopardy…Akufo-Addo Has Cancer.

In that edition, the US-based magazine edited by Steve Mallory claims the NPP presidential candidate then now President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo is suffering from life threatening diseases; including prostate cancer, acute kidney injury and an enlarged heart.

The magazine in its report also mentioned that President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo was diagnosed of prostate cancer in June 2013, with a high prostate –specific Antigen (PSA) count of 89.9, very much above the 3.72 upper range it should have been — according to the British doctors.

Again, the report mentions that they have seen some medical records and they paint a dark picture of Nana Addo.

However, President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo then candidate, dismissed the reports that he is suffering from cancer.

At a well-attended rally in Bolgatanga (Upper East Region), Nana Addo told supporters of the party that “….now they say i have cancer; it will not work…issues of life and death and health are in the hands of the Almighty”!

Thenewsplatformonline.com is reliably informed that about 80,000 special edition of the Africawatch Magazine has been printed and brought to town just to attack the government since they have never liked President Nana Addo.

What baffles sector players is that why is Africawatch Magazine now talking about Ghana’s education sector even though at the official launch of the free SHS at the West African Secondary School (WASS) in Accra Tuesday, the President said his government was partnering with key stakeholders to address challenges with secondary education.

This has brought joy among families in Ghana hence must be embraced by all to help support its implementation.

thenewsplatformonline.com was told that the new education agenda is part of a process of redefining the minimum level of education to at least High School Education.

Ghana has joined the ranks of Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Finland where one’s parents’ income may not be the decider in the accessibility of secondary education for this reason Africawatch Magazine owner, Steve Mallory is refusing to commend Nana Addo due to bad relationship that exists between them.

More to come as we bring you the detailed story from the 44 page special edition of the Africawatch Magazine.